Stop-gap legislation passed to ensure funding Moores Mill Rd. project

Atlanta City Council unanimously passed stop-gap legislation Dec. 7 to ensure that Transportation Impact Fee funding will be available for the extension of Moores Mill Road if the federal funds are not available by April 1, 2016, Dist. 9 Councilwoman Felicia Moore reported.

The funding of the road extension from Bolton Road to Marietta Boulevard is critical to ensuring a start in early 2016 of the $100 million redevelopment of the derelict Moores Mill Shopping

The present end of Moores Mill Road at Bolton Road on the east side of the derelict Moores Mill Shopping Center tract.

“I have met with Edens, and other parties with the City to ensure we are still moving forward,” Moore wrote in an email to BuckheadView. “I expect to give an update after the holidays.”

The Dec. 7 council action followed Moore’s decision Nov. 16 not to challenge Mayor Kasim Reed’s veto of her legislation to use $800,000 of the Transportation Impact Fees to assure the project would move forward early in 2016.

Dist. 9 Atlanta City Councilwoman Felicia Moore

Councilwoman Moore reported to BuckheadView early Nov. 16 on a briefing she had with Mayor Reed at which the mayor stated, “He met last week with ARC (Atlanta Regional Commission) regarding funding for Moores Mill Road and other projects, and he has confirmed that $2.2 million for the project will be available the first quarter of 2016.”

According to the report by Councilwoman Moore, the mayor reported: “The money is at the ARC. Leaving the $800K in Transportation Impact Fees in place can risk the $2.2 million, which may be redirected to other projects.”

“I, as well as other members, asked for something in writing in this regard,” Moore reported at the time.

Moore also told BuckheadView, “We (me and the mayor) agreed that legislation can be drafted to give a time certain for federal funds and/or the use of Transportation Impact Fees.”

At the end of the Nov. 16 Council meeting, legislation was co-sponsored by Moore, Yolanda Adrean, Mary Norwood and Andre Dickens to provide for the $800,000 in Transportation Impact Fees to be a backstop in the event that Federal Funds are not utilized by the first quarter of 2016.

“I do not anticipate any problems with its passage because it is being done in agreement with the Mayor,” Moore told BuckheadView on Nov. 17.

In an email to constituents earlier on Nov. 16, Moore wrote, “I did not make a motion to override the mayor’s veto of 15-O-1490 because: There was not enough votes to override,” and because the legislation was being introduced by the mayor’s office to accept federal funds.

Moore added in her email, “I will now need to get into the weeds to ensure that the use of the federal funds in no way impacts the schedule for the development.”